homeslice5484
10-12-2009, 10:18 PM
http://www.wgrz.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=70987&catid=37
Besides the song parodies and shirts cleverly designed to skirt the "sign police" at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Bills fans are reaching out through a multitude of platforms to express their frustration with head Coach Dick Jauron.
"We need a change and it's obvious," said Michael Kruse II, a life long Bills fans who after watching Sunday's debacle against the Cleveland Browns launched his own facebook page calling for the Jauron's ouster as coach.
But Kruse isn't alone in venting his frustration in this manner.
As of Monday night there were nearly 50 facebook pages with similar themes.
Other fans are reaching out to call for Jauron's firing via You Tube, and still others have
designed entire web sites devoted to the cause.
Firedickjauron.com (http://www.firedickjauron.com/) has a poll which claims 96% of nearly 3,000 respondents want the coaches head, while firedicknow.com (http://www.firedicknow.com/blog/) has 1,500 signatures on its on line petition and offers anti-Jauron shirts for sale.
Then there's Ryan Abshagen, a Bills fan who lives in New Freedom, Pennsylvania.
Abshagen is soliciting donations on his web site (http://firedickjauron.wordpress.com/) to place a billboard on Interstate 190 in Buffalo calling on team owner Ralph Wilson to fire both Jauron and General Manager Russ Brandon.
As of Monday evening visitors had pledged more than $300 toward the $1,200 cost of the billboard.
"I really didn't think this was gonna be that big, ...it started out as a chat in a message room chat board, but it's really grown," said Abshagen when speaking of the response he's gotten
thus far.
Abshagen told WGRZ-TV that if Jauron is fired before he can raise the money needed to purchase the billboard it will be returned to donors.
"This is a whole new day and age of technology and getting your message across through different markets via social networking," said Kruse, who is employed by a web development firm.
But will all the on-line outrage give these Bills fans what they want: a winning coach and team?
Kruse says while he doubts Ralph Wilson uses facebook, he believes he might pay attention if --as his page calls for-- fans follow through with a mass walkout at the next home game November 1st (provided the team is still losing and Jauron is still coaching).
"Social media has become so prominent today in the marketplace for all types of businesses ...and change can be made, " Kruse said.
"For example, a woman who was hit by a number of overdraft fees from her bank put a video up on you tube and within 24 hours the bank contacted her, asked her to take the video down, and refunded 450 dollars to her account, ...so it does make a difference when the right people see it."
WGRZ-TV, wgrz.com
Besides the song parodies and shirts cleverly designed to skirt the "sign police" at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Bills fans are reaching out through a multitude of platforms to express their frustration with head Coach Dick Jauron.
"We need a change and it's obvious," said Michael Kruse II, a life long Bills fans who after watching Sunday's debacle against the Cleveland Browns launched his own facebook page calling for the Jauron's ouster as coach.
But Kruse isn't alone in venting his frustration in this manner.
As of Monday night there were nearly 50 facebook pages with similar themes.
Other fans are reaching out to call for Jauron's firing via You Tube, and still others have
designed entire web sites devoted to the cause.
Firedickjauron.com (http://www.firedickjauron.com/) has a poll which claims 96% of nearly 3,000 respondents want the coaches head, while firedicknow.com (http://www.firedicknow.com/blog/) has 1,500 signatures on its on line petition and offers anti-Jauron shirts for sale.
Then there's Ryan Abshagen, a Bills fan who lives in New Freedom, Pennsylvania.
Abshagen is soliciting donations on his web site (http://firedickjauron.wordpress.com/) to place a billboard on Interstate 190 in Buffalo calling on team owner Ralph Wilson to fire both Jauron and General Manager Russ Brandon.
As of Monday evening visitors had pledged more than $300 toward the $1,200 cost of the billboard.
"I really didn't think this was gonna be that big, ...it started out as a chat in a message room chat board, but it's really grown," said Abshagen when speaking of the response he's gotten
thus far.
Abshagen told WGRZ-TV that if Jauron is fired before he can raise the money needed to purchase the billboard it will be returned to donors.
"This is a whole new day and age of technology and getting your message across through different markets via social networking," said Kruse, who is employed by a web development firm.
But will all the on-line outrage give these Bills fans what they want: a winning coach and team?
Kruse says while he doubts Ralph Wilson uses facebook, he believes he might pay attention if --as his page calls for-- fans follow through with a mass walkout at the next home game November 1st (provided the team is still losing and Jauron is still coaching).
"Social media has become so prominent today in the marketplace for all types of businesses ...and change can be made, " Kruse said.
"For example, a woman who was hit by a number of overdraft fees from her bank put a video up on you tube and within 24 hours the bank contacted her, asked her to take the video down, and refunded 450 dollars to her account, ...so it does make a difference when the right people see it."
WGRZ-TV, wgrz.com